While your lips are still red
by sofia313
Summary: Pennsylvania, 1998. "Maybe he was a coldblooded killer, but this didn't feel right." A random act of kindness has bigger consequences than Klaus could have ever imagined.
1. Chapter 1

**This is just something that popped in my head, please let me know should I continue :)**

Pennsylvania, 1998

"_When I was young I never needed anyone. And making love was just for fun. Those days are gone. Living alone I think of all the friends I've known. When I dial the telephone nobody's home. All by myself. Don't wanna be all by myself. Anymore…"_

Seriously? Klaus rolled his eyes and snorted before turning the radio off. Well, at least he didn't have to listen to "My heart will go on" for heaven knew how many thousandth time. Thanks to the damn movie it was impossible to escape from that song. He tapped at the steering wheel impatiently and looked at the road in front of him. The silence surrounded him completely; all he heard was the engine of his car. There was no traffic this time of the night, although he doubted that there was ever much traffic in this backwater.

The highway seemed to go on forever; he couldn't even recall how long had it been since he had seen a gas station or much anything. A cup of coffee sounded good after a long ride, so he decided to stop as soon as he would see some suitable place. Perhaps he could even grab some nice tasty snack, something young and pretty. Well, that wasn't very likely, but he was willing to settle for something else. Unfortunately he had a tight schedule so perhaps it was best to wait with the snack, since he would have to get rid of the body.

That was one of things about this modern time that annoyed him, he was an Original vampire, the most feared of them, and he had to clean up after himself. But to be fair, normally he didn't do the cleaning himself, someone else always did it for him. However this was a trip he needed to take by himself, he hadn't wanted to take any of his lackeys with him. Sure they were reliable, like dogs, but sometimes their presence annoyed him. They were all so desperate for his approval that sometimes it was pathetic.

There probably wasn't any vampire who didn't know who he was and what he could do to them if they would cross him. Most of the times he enjoyed his reputation, building it had taken him centuries, but there was a downside; all that crawling actually bored him sometimes. In times like that he truly missed Elijah and Rebekah. Maybe even Kol. Klaus had no idea where Elijah was, but he knew exactly where to find his other siblings. Perhaps he should consider waking Bekah up. Naturally she would be quite upset but he was confident that she would get over that. Besides, it had been her own fault, she had planned to leave him; no one did that without some serious consequences.

His thoughts made him tense, so he took his other hand from the steering wheel and rubbed his temple in order to calm down. These long car rides were so boring; perhaps he should have taken someone with him after all… Suddenly his senses sharpened when he saw a moving figure on the side of the road. His first thought was a deer but it didn't take him long to notice that this figure was a human. She was still few feet ahead of him and her back was turned so all he saw was a whole bunch of messy copper hair. This was certainly a strange place and time for a little walk. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before stopping the car next to her. She didn't pay any attention to him when he rolled the window down.

"Hey…" he started before he noticed that this woman, or she looked more like a girl, was naked. Her soles were leaving behind a bloody trail as she walked, but other than that she seemed to be fine. She was staring in front of her with a blank expression; she didn't show in any way that she had even noticed his presence.

"Hey," he repeated. Strangely he was actually unsure of what to do.

The girl continued walking, although she was moving very slowly. Klaus bit his bottom lip and got out of the car. What the hell was he doing? He stepped in front of the girl, but she simply walked past him. Perhaps she was in some kind of shock, how would he know. It occurred to him that she would be an easy snack; he could simply dumb her body here. And she certainly wouldn't put up a fight. She looked quite young, maybe 14 or 15, she was a damn child. Maybe he was coldblooded killer, but this didn't feel right. Funny, it seemed that he still had some shreds of his conscience left. Well, as long as no one would hear about this…

"Hey, do you need a ride?" he asked but didn't get any response. There was no way that he was going to therapy her, he was already late from his meeting.

"Listen, little girl, get in the car if you don't want to stay here. I can take you to a hospital or something; I'm not going to hurt you."

He would have never thought that he would say that to a human and actually mean it. She was still walking, like some partly broken perpetual motion machine. He touched her shoulder in order to get her attention and he certainly succeeded, she turned around hissing like a snake and bit his hand. Then she turned around and continued walking. What the hell? For a moment he was too stunned to do anything, the damn girl had just bit him.

"Fine," he snapped. "Stay here then, I couldn't care less."

Humans, this was how they repaid kindness. Well, he sure as hell wasn't going to do that mistake again, he should just kill her… Why bother, she would probably freeze to death anyway, the night was very chilly. He got in his car and drove past the girl. How had she ended up here? Not that it mattered; he didn't care where she had come from or what had happened to her. Judging by her lack of clothing she has had a rough night. So what? Klaus pressed his lips together and squished the steering wheel with both hands. Dammit… He hit the breaks and turned the car around. The girl was almost right where he had left her, she certainly wasn't moving fast. He took a deep breath and got out of the car again.

"Let's try this again, shall we. My name is Klaus."

He removed his jacket and handed it to the girl. She didn't make any attempt to take it so he wrapped it around her without touching her. Surprisingly that made her stop; she simply stood there staring in front of her. Klaus opened the car door for her.

"Come on, you must be freezing."

Very slowly she raised her head and looked at him. Her face was free from emotions, but he saw something in her eyes, so kind of clarity.

"It's ok," he assured and motioned her to get in the car.

Her legs were shaking and her soles were still bleeding, but she got in the front seat without saying a word. Klaus closed the door and sighed. He had no idea where the nearest hospital was, but he would certainly have to take a detour in order to take her there. Great, like he wasn't late enough already. Well, this could be his good deed of the…week? No. Month? No. Year? It was best to make that a decade. Elijah would certainly be proud of him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

After an half an hour complete silence, Klaus started to believe that the girl who was sitting next to him was simply unable to speak. All she did was stared in front of her, keeping her arms tightly around her. She was a pale and skinny little thing, perhaps she was even younger than he had estimated; he found it difficult to tell how old humans were.

"So…Do you have a name, little girl?" he asked when the silence was starting to bother him, but he didn't get any reply, she was just staring into emptiness. "No? Fine then."

He huffed and turned the radio on; thankfully they would reach the hospital soon. The scent of her blood filled the whole car, making him feel hungry. Not to mention he would have to have the car washed, she was bleeding all over the floor. Perhaps he should take a look at her wounds… Or not, she would probably just bite him again. She seemed to be trembling, perhaps she was cold. He didn't usually keep the heater on since he didn't need it, but now it occurred to him that she actually might need it, especially after her little walk. The girl almost jumped and let out a little growl when he reached for the heater.

"Easy now. Geez, were you raised by wolves or something?"

Surprisingly he didn't get any reply. Well, no matter, he would get rid of her soon enough. He looked at his watch and estimated that he was at least two hours behind his schedule. Dammit, he knew how much the old hag appreciated good manners. Maybe he should have simply leaved the girl. She moved a little, wrapping his jacket tighter around her and let lout a quiet whimper. He couldn't help but wonder if she had some other injuries that he couldn't see. Not that it mattered, she wasn't his concern.

"Here we are," he said after stopping the car in front of a hospital. "Off you go."

She didn't make any attempt of leaving.

"Oh come on…"

Was she really going to make him to carry her? Apparently yes. He got out and opened her door.

"Now pay attention, little girl. I'm going to lift you up and if you even think about biting me, I'll gag you. Is that clear?"

No reply. Fine then. He gave her a warning look before wrapping his arm around her petite body and lifting her into his arms. She really was tiny; he was able to lift her effortlessly. Thankfully she didn't hiss, growl or bite; instead she took a deep breath, apparently inhaling his scent and leaned her head on his shoulder. Strangely she seemed more relaxed now, like she would have suddenly decided to trust him. Silly girl. He carried her inside and approached the counter.

"Excuse me, I need some help."

The nurse behind the counter looked up.

"What have happened?"

"I found her on the side of the road. Would you mind…"

The nurse stood up and called for someone called Claire, who appeared with a third nurse. They asked him to place the girl on a bed. Finally, he wanted to get out of here. The girl looked at him attentively when two of the nurses took her to an examining room.

"Take care, little girl," he muttered.

"Do you know her name?" the third nurse asked.

"No, she didn't say anything to me."

"Alright, I would ask you to wait, I will have to report this and I think the police will need your statement…"

"I don't think so," he interrupted her and marched towards the exit.

"Sir, please wait," the nurse said firmly and stepped in front of him. Klaus was about to lose his temper.

"I'm leaving now and I strongly advice you to get out of my way."

"Is there a problem here?" a man's voice asked. Great, an officious security guard. These people were really testing his patience… He didn't have time to properly form his thought when the screaming started. It was coming from the examining room where the nurses had taken the girl.

"Help!" a woman's voice screamed. The third nurse and the security guard seemed to forget him completely and ran towards the screams. Well, problem solved, he could simply walk out. Yes, he could have, but his curiosity made him to stay, he wanted to see what was going on. It didn't take long before he saw the girl running out from the examining room. She was wearing an oversize hospital gown and the work shoes of one of the nurses. Her moving was clumsy and clearly the running was painful for her, but apparently her panic gave her enough strength to ignore the pain. There was a look of a hunted animal in her hazel eyes.

"Get back here!" the security guard shouted angrily while running after her. One of the nurses appeared in the doorway, pressing her bleeding nose.

"Look out, she's crazy!" the nurse shouted.

The girl couldn't move fast enough in order to get away, but apparently she wasn't going to give up either. When the security guard grabbed her, she growled and attacked him. Klaus had never seen anything like it before, the man was almost twice her size, but it didn't take more than few seconds before he was lying on the floor, apparently trying to figure out what had just hit him. More security guards were running towards the girl, but she was out of the door before they reached her.

"Find her!" one of them shouted. "Use tasers, she's dangerous!"

Klaus couldn't help but smile; that had been truly entertaining. He walked out and saw that the guards were searching the area around the hospital with flashlights and two police cars had just arrived. All because of the skinny little girl… There seemed to be no sight of her. No one paid any attention to him when he walked to his car and unlocked the doors. He barely managed to sit down on the driver's seat when the girl appeared from under his car and got in without saying a word. Klaus frowned.

"What do you think you are doing?"

She didn't say anything; she was just staring in front of her again.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but I'm not running a kindergarten so get out."

She gave him a calm look and buckled up her seatbelt. Klaus couldn't help but smile; she really was a silly girl.

"You have no idea who I am or what I can do to you."

She shrugged and leaned her head on the window. Klaus sighed and considered his options; he could easily throw her out or simply show her his fangs; that would certainly make her to run for her life. Or he could just drop her off to some bus station. Dammit. He sighed and started the car. He definitely should have just left her there; apparently good deeds caused nothing but trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for your reviews, favs and alerts :) Here's the next chapter.**

**Chapter 3**

"Alright," Klaus said. "Do you have any place to go?"

The girl shook her head.

"Oh come on, you must have some relatives."

She shook her head again, she wasn't looking at him. Klaus squished the steering wheel and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to figure out what to do with the girl. Obviously her wounds needed to be cleaned, but he sure as hell wasn't going to do that. According to a sign on the side of the road, there was a motel ahead. He didn't stay in motels, the whole idea disgusted him.

But then again, he was already so much late that he might as well call to the old hag and reschedule their meeting. It would be morning soon and he could certainly use a shower and a cup of coffee, even if he would have to check in to some damn motel. A flashing neon sign announced that there was vacancy. Great. He sighed before turning the car towards almost empty parking lot. The rooms seemed to be on two floors, the place didn't look exactly classy.

"Wait here," he said to the girl and got out. He had to walk to the other end of the building in order to find a reception. There was a shabby looking man sleeping behind the desk, he was snoring loudly. Klaus rolled his eyes before clearing his throat.

"I'm not sleeping, Mr. Davis," he announced and jumped to his feet. "I was just resting my eyes; I swear…" he paused when he noticed that Klaus wasn't this Mr. Davis, who apparently was his boss. "Oh. You need a room?"

"Unfortunately," Klaus muttered tensely. "Give me the best one you have."

"All the rooms are alike, sir."

"Of course they are… Fine, just give me a clean one."

He already knew that he would regret this; there were probably some kind of vermins in the room. He definitely wasn't in a good mood when he headed back to the car, holding a key to his room.

"Come on," he said to the girl. What the hell was he going to do to her? Maybe he could simply leave her here. She got out and followed him slowly; obviously the walking was painful to her. Klaus was just about to open the door to his room, when the next door opened and a man stepped outside. He seemed to be drunk and he grinned when he noticed Klaus and the girl.

"Nice, dude, it's good to pick them when they're still young."

Klaus' eyes narrowed.

"Shut up," he snapped and opened the door. This definitely wasn't his night. He rubbed his temples and tried to calm down. The girl followed him inside and looked around before sitting on a bed, there seemed to be two single beds in the room. She was still wearing the hospital gown and she was looking at him closely, maybe she suspected that he was planning to leave her. He honestly couldn't understand why she thought that he would help her, she knew nothing about him. He really needed some coffee.

"Stay here and clean yourself up," he said and headed to the door when the girl suddenly spoke.

"I can give you pureblooded descendants."

He stopped and turned to look at her.

"What?"

She was still sitting on the bed, looking at him calmly.

"In exchange for your protection, I can offer you pureblooded descendants, I'm fertile."

For a moment Klaus couldn't do anything except opening and closing his mouth, the girl had managed to surprise him completely.

"What…What the hell you're talking about, you are a child!"

"I'm 12," she said calmly. "I'll be old enough soon."

"No, you're not, what kind of sick bastard would…"

"It's for survival of our kind, surely you know that," she interrupted him. It took a moment before the realization hit him, the girl was a werewolf. How had he missed that? It had been centuries since he had ran into werewolves, thanks to Mikael who had hunted them on the brink of extinction, but now one had practically fallen on his lap. No wonder he hadn't wanted to harm her.

"Are you an alpha?" she asked.

For some reason she thought that he was like her, but that certainly wasn't a bad thing.

"Yes, I definitely am," he replied giving her a smile. "You said that you needed my protection, from whom exactly?"

She bit her lower lip.

"That's personal. May I join your pack; I know there aren't many female wolves."

"Actually I don't have a pack, sweetheart, but no need to worry; you can count on my protection."

She nodded.

"Do you want me to be your mate?"

"What, no!"

Maybe he was many things, but he would have never touched someone as young as she, the whole idea was disgusting. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of pack she was coming from.

"No need to worry, you're safe with me."

She looked at him attentively before she finally nodded.

"Alright, I'm going to find some coffee and I think you need clothes. Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I'll bring you something to eat. Oh, I didn't catch your name."

"I didn't give it to you," she replied calmly.

He couldn't help but smile.

"Fine, I just call you the little girl then…"

"Prim."

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Prim."

"Hmm. Is that a short for something?"

"No, it's just Prim."

"Alright then. I'll be back soon."

She stayed on the bed when he walked out and closed the door behind him. It seemed that his night was about to turn more interesting than he could have ever imagined. He needed a werewolf in order to break the curse and now he had one. That meant that he was now one step closer to achieve his goal and if his meeting would be successful, all the other pieces would fall into places as well. His lips curved into a smirk. Everything was finally starting to work out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you again for your reviews, here are some answers. The story is partly AU and about Klaus being a father figure, you'll have to wait and see :)**

**Chapter 4**

Klaus couldn't do anything except stare at the girl who was sitting opposite him. Apparently table manners weren't her specialty; she was hoarding food with both hands like she wouldn't have eaten for weeks. A hamburger, some bacon, fried chicken, eggs, sandwiches, pancakes and so on. When he had told her that she could order what ever she wanted, he hadn't imagined that she would order pretty much everything on the menu. And it seemed that a fork and a knife were completely foreign to her, she was eating like some kind of cave girl. Judging by some odd looks that she got, other people in the diner had also noticed her eating habits.

"Listen, sweetheart, perhaps you should…"

"Can't talk, eating," she interrupted him with her mouth full of food.

He couldn't help but smile, he had to admit that he was curious to know where she was coming from. Perhaps he hadn't been so wrong when he had suspected that she had been raised by wolves. He picked up his cup of coffee and sighed. The day would certainly be long and he hadn't even got his shower, the bathroom in that motel room had convinced him that he would be fine without it. Prim on the other hand had taken a long shower and he had helped her to bandage her feet. The clothes he had brought to her didn't really fit; she was wearing an oversize Goofy t-shirt, grey sweatpants and sandals. Her copper hair still looked messy, although it was up in a ponytail.

"Can I get you anything else?" an elderly waitress asked smiling politely.

Klaus looked at the little guzzler, who was just licking her plate.

"Sweetheart?"

"Thirsty," she replied and pointed at her empty class.

He frowned.

"Apparently we need another coke," he said giving the waitress a charming smile.

The woman looked at Prim warmly.

"Your daughter is adorable," she said and reached for an empty plate on the table. "And it's nice to see a young lady with healthy appetite, most kids these days…"

The woman almost jumped when Prim exposed her teeth and growled at her.

"Prim!" Klaus snapped. "I apologize, she's a little…"

He had no ides how to finish his sentence, but apparently the woman reached some kind of conclusion of her own.

"Oh… I'm sorry, that must be hard for you."

Klaus bit his bottom lip, trying not to laugh.

"Yes."

The woman gave him a sympathetic look and went to get the coke.

"Now Prim, that wasn't nice," Klaus scolded.

The girl looked up, squishing a sandwich on her hand.

"She tried to take my food."

Klaus couldn't help but chuckle, the girl seemed to be very much serious.

"Do you always defend your food like that?"

She looked at him like that would have been the stupidest question she had ever heard.

"Of course, if I want to eat. Papa always said that the only way to learn how to really appreciate your food is to fight for it…"

Suddenly she stopped talking and lowered her head; apparently she realized that she had said too much.

"Your father? Where is he?"

"Dead," she murmured and continued eating. Clearly she didn't want to talk about this.

"Here you are, sweetie," the waitress said and placed the class in front of her.

"Thank you," Klaus said when the girl stayed quiet. Did he honestly have to teach her the basic manners? Wait a minute, why would he want to teach her anything, he was simply planning to use her in order to break the curse. Assuming he would find all the other parts. She drank her coke with few long gulps and licked her fingers clean.

"Satisfied?" he asked.

She nodded and let out a little howl. All the people in the diner were staring at them.

"What…"

She tilted her head, apparently trying to understand his stunned expression.

"Our way to say thank you," she explained, like the matter should have been obvious.

"Alright then…" he muttered. "You're welcome."

"You're a strange wolf," she stated. "But that's ok, I like you."

Once again she had managed to surprise him completely.

"You like me?" he repeated disbelievingly. "You don't even know me."

"I don't have to," she replied calmly.

"That's a little naïve, don't you think?"

She shrugged.

"You're the one who called me a child, aren't they supposed to be naïve?"

He had no idea how to reply to that.

"I'm afraid I don't know much about children," he muttered.

"Don't worry, neither do I," she replied and stood up. "Are you coming?"

He frowned.

"Now just a minute here, little girl…"

"I'll be in the car," she said and walked to the door. Judging by her limping, her feet still hurt. Klaus huffed and emptied his cup. What a strange little creature that girl was, he honestly wasn't sure of what to make of her. Well, at least she was entertaining; some people still seemed shocked by her… peculiarity. He left some money on the table before following her. One thing he was sure about was that she would definitely be a handful.

* * *

_Every night in my dreams  
I see you, I feel you  
That is how I know you go on.  
Far across the distance  
And spaces between us  
You have come to show you go on_

_Near..._  
_Far..._  
_Wherever you are_  
_I believe that the heart does go on_  
_Once more..._  
_You open the door_  
_And you're here in my heart_  
_And my heart will go on and on…_

"Bloody hell," Klaus murmured. "How many times do I have to hear this damn song?"

Prim leaned her head on the window and closed her eyes.

"I think it's nice."

Klaus snorted.

"After a thousandth time?"

"I haven't heard it before."

"You're kidding, right?"

She shook her head.

"No."

Klaus looked at her disbelievingly.

"Oh, come on. Titanic?"

She turned to look at him and tilted her head.

"A ship that collided with an iceberg and sank in 1912. What about it?"

"Don't try to tell me that you haven't heard about that movie, even I have seen it. Because someone dragged me to see it, not because I wanted to," he added quickly.

She shook her head.

"I didn't know there's a movie about it."

She had to be kidding.

"Have you lived in a cave or something?"

"Sometimes," she replied. "But we also had a cabin."

She seemed to be serious.

"Alright then…"

She truly was a strange girl. But he had more important things on mind at the moment, they had arrived at Delaware. He had to be ready for this meeting. The old witch was annoying as hell, but she happened to have something what he needed.

"What…" he muttered when he found the right street. "This is a bloody suburb."

All the houses looked almost alike; the lawns were tidy and the gardens well-kept. For a moment Klaus was sure that this couldn't be the right place. One of the nastiest witches he had ever met was living in the suburb? Well, apparently she was, her house didn't stand out in any way, there were even some garden gnomes on her yard.

"Wait here," Klaus said when he stopped the car on her driveway.

The girl pouted her lips.

"But I'm thirsty."

"Well, that's too bad…hey!"

Apparently she didn't respect his authority much, she was already outside. Klaus cursed silently before following her, the witch had just opened the front door. She had never been exactly a beauty queen, but now she had really started to look like some evil witch from fairytales, she even had a black cat on her arms. She was wearing a simple black dress and her hair was up in a tight bun.

"Velma!" Klaus said, giving her one of his most charming smiles. "How wonderful to see you, you look lovely."

Prim turned to look at him.

"But you said that she's an annoying old hag."

The witch's dark eyes narrowed, looking at Klaus. He gritted his teeth, making a mental note to himself to strangle the girl.

"She's just a silly kid…"

To his surprise, the witch actually seemed amused, although it didn't make her look any less gloomy.

"Hmm, at least she has enough backbone to be honest. What's your name, girlie?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Prim!" Klaus snapped. "Manners!"

To his outrage, she dared to show him her tongue. He clenched his fists in anger and was about to really lose his temper, before he noticed that the witch was chuckling.

"I believe I like your little sidekick."

"My…what?"

Apparently his expression made the witch laugh even harder.

"Oh my… I wasn't planning to make this so easy for you, but come in, I have some information that I believe will interest you."

He was suddenly all ears.

"You mean…"

The witch smiled.

"Three words: Mystic Falls Virginia."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"What?" Klaus asked disbelievingly. He had just been about to take a sip from his cup, but his hand had stopped moving. "Did you just say that Mikael is dead?"

"Well, more or less, at least he has definitely been neutralized," Velma replied. "Only a very powerful witch could have done that."

Klaus pondered this information for a moment, it sounded too good to be true.

"And you said this happened in some one pony town in Virginia?"

"Yes."

"What was Mikael doing there?"

"How would I know?" Velma snorted. "But obviously this witch had a very good reason to take him out; it must have taken all her strength."

"I need to see his body," Klaus murmured. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Yes, I wouldn't tell you this if I wouldn't be sure."

Could this really be possible? Mikael would never bother him again…

"Who's Mikael?" Prim asked.

Klaus had forgotten her completely, she was sitting on an armchair swinging her feet back and forth, drinking her soda with a straw.

"That's not your concern, sweetheart," Klaus said firmly.

"Who is this girl anyway?" Velma asked.

"I'm his mate," Prim announced proudly.

Velma's eyes narrowed, she gave Klaus a warning look.

"Klaus…"

"It's not like that," he interrupted her. "Honestly Velma, do you really think so low of me?"

The witch frowned.

"Do you want me to answer that?"

"Probably not, but even I have some standards, I don't touch children."

"Hmm, good to hear, I don't take that kind of behavior lightly. I'm a mother myself after all."

For some reason Klaus couldn't picture her changing diapers, not to mention breastfeeding…dear lord, now that image would haunt him forever. He felt a sudden need to have a drink.

"How many children do you have?" he asked, trying to distract himself.

"I have a daughter and a granddaughter," Velma replied. "She just married an investment banker."

Judging by her tone, this didn't please her at all.

"Your granddaughter got married?" Prim said. "You must be really old."

Klaus wasn't sure should he laugh or cry, hadn't anyone ever taught that girl any manners?

"And you must be a very silly girl," Velma replied.

Prim finished her soda and placed the glass on a table. Klaus was already thinking about his next move, he would definitely have to go to Virginia. And he would have to send a word to Elijah… Maybe he didn't know where his brother was, but he knew enough people in order to get him a message. Then there were of course his other siblings… Well, first things first, maybe he hadn't got the information he had hoped to get but he would definitely visit this Mystic Falls. There had to be a reason why Mikael had gone there in the first place.

* * *

"Why do we need so large room?" Prim asked after taking a look around in their hotel suite. "There's just the two of us."

"Because only the best is good enough for me," Klaus replied. The day had been more than long and he really needed a shower and a drink. They should arrive at Virginia tomorrow, assuming there wouldn't be any delays. He wasn't completely sure if taking her with him had been a good idea, but then again, what choice did he have? He couldn't send the little werewolf to his house, it was full of vampires. That was a dilemma he would definitely have to solve after this trip.

"I'm hungry," she said.

Klaus frowned.

"Again? How can someone as small as you even eat so much?"

She shrugged and sat down on a couch.

"Fine," Klaus sighed. "But I want you to clean yourself up first, this is a nice hotel."

She turned to look at him.

"Are you rich?"

"You could say that."

She looked thoughtful before she nodded.

"You have a house?"

Klaus rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I don't live in a cave."

She stood up and moved in front of him.

"What…" Klaus started when she smelled him.

"You smell weird," she stated. "But I've decided that I accept you."

Klaus was too stunned to say anything when she headed to the bathroom. She surely was a strange little girl. It occurred to him that she would probably need more clothes, but that would have to wait. It didn't take long when she returned; at least she had washed her face.

"Come on then," he said. "And try to behave."

She didn't say anything when they headed to an elevator and went downstairs. It was still early so there weren't many diners in the restaurant.

"Table for two, sir?" a waiter asked looking at Prim who was biting her nails.

"Yes," Klaus replied.

"Right this way, sir."

It wasn't difficult to notice that the waiter was leading them to the furthest corner of the room. Klaus was about to lose his temper before he remembered Prim's table manners. Perhaps this wasn't so bad idea after all. Once again she ordered enough food for a whole army, while Klaus settled for a drink. Feeding the little guzzler would certainly cost him a fortune. He honestly couldn't understand how she was physically able to eat so much. After his second drink, he decided that he needed something else than alcohol. He scanned the room and noticed a pretty blonde who was at the bar by herself. Perfect. He could have few words with her while Prim was eating and then sent the girl back to their room and have a little snack.

"I think I need another drink," he said and stood up.

Prim was so concentrated on her steak that she didn't say anything when he headed towards the bar.

"Good evening," he said giving the blonde woman a charming smile. "May I offer you a drink?"

She looked at him from head to toes, clearly liking what she was seeing.

"Perhaps."

He sat down next to her and motioned a bartender to bring her another drink.

"So, what does a lovely lady such as yourself is doing here all alone?"

"Well, I was supposed to meet someone here, but apparently my date isn't coming."

"That is definitely his loss."

The woman smiled.

"And your gain?"

Klaus smiled too, could this really be so easy? Well, at least there was something good about this damn modern time…

"Hey!"

His thoughts were cut off when he heard Prim's angry voice. Oh no. She marched next to him and grabbed his arm.

"Get lost, tramp, he's mine!" she growled.

The woman was staring at him and Prim alternately with her mouth open.

"What…"

Klaus was very much aware that most people in the restaurant were looking at them, and those looks certainly weren't friendly.

"She's my daughter," Klaus said quickly and gave Prim a murderous glare. Most people would have startled, but she didn't, she only tightened her grip on his arm. "Excuse me."

He stood up and dragged the girl with him; he had to struggle in order to control himself.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he snapped as soon as they were in the elevator.

"Defended what's mine," she replied calmly.

Klaus stared at her disbelievingly, trying to decide whether he should be confused or furious.

"I thought I made myself clear, I don't want…that with you."

"Not yet," she said.

"No, not now, not ever. Do you understand?"

She was quiet for a moment before she nodded.

"You're the alpha."

Klaus sighed; the damn girl was giving him a headache.

"Let's just forget this…" he started when he opened the door to their suite. He never finished his sentence, when he saw his older brother sitting on the couch.

"Hello, brother," Elijah said coldly. "I received your message."


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm sorry about the hiatus, I finally found the inspiration for the next chapter.**

**Chapter 6**

"Elijah," Klaus greeted his brother. "It has been a while."

His brother hadn't changed at all; he had even kept the same hairstyle, not to mention his tailored suits. Slowly Elijah got to his feet, keeping his dark eyes on Klaus. It wasn't difficult to see that his big brother wasn't pleased at all.

"I'm not in a mood for small talk, Niklaus," he stated coldly. "And I'm not a fool, if you are trying to trick me…"

"No, I'm not, I can assure you. I wouldn't lie about something like this."

Elijah crossed his arms and looked at him closely.

"So Mikael…"

"I haven't seen the body yet with my own eyes; I'm just heading to this Mystic Falls to find out what our dear father was doing there."

Elijah was quiet for a while, pondering this information.

"Where are our siblings?" he asked demandingly. "Are they still in those coffins?"

"They are just fine," Klaus replied.

"Tell me where they are…" Elijah started angrily and took a menacing step towards him, but Prim blocked his way. The little werewolf was growling and showing Elijah her teeth.

"Stay away from him," she growled warningly.

Elijah looked surprised, apparently he hadn't paid much attention to his brother's little companion.

"What…Who's she?"

"He belongs to me and I won't let anyone to hurt him," Prim replied menacingly.

Elijah's eyes widened, he looked at Prim and Klaus alternately. Clearly he was amused.

"Prim," Klaus snapped.

"That's quite a bodyguard you got there, Niklaus," Elijah stated trying to look serious. "But isn't she a little young for you?"

"Prim," Klaus repeated tensely. "Leave us."

"No," she replied without turning her gaze away from Elijah. "He wants to hurt you; I'm not going to let him do that."

Klaus sighed.

"This man is my brother; I don't need you to protect me from him."

"You might," Elijah stated. "Unless you tell me where our siblings are."

"All in good time, brother," Klaus replied. "To be honest I wasn't expecting you this soon, I meant to visit this Mystic Falls first…"

"Well here I am and I'm certainly not in a mood for any more of your games."

Klaus frowned.

"Alright, perhaps you would like to accompany me then?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Because if Mikael is truly gone, surely you know what that means."

Elijah pressed his lips together.

"What do you want, Niklaus?"

"I want us to be a family again, like we used to be. Those were good times, weren't they?"

Elijah kept his face free from emotions.

"That was before you daggered the rest of our siblings."

Klaus sighed, couldn't Elijah honestly get past that already?

"Alright, I'll tell you what, come with me to look for Mikael's body. After we have found it, I'll bring our siblings back."

"Do you honestly expect me to trust you?" Elijah snorted. "That's insulting."

Klaus smiled.

"If I would want to harm you, I would have done that already instead of having this nice little chat. I always carry a dagger with me."

Elijah's eyes narrowed.

"And you think that would make me to trust you?"

For a moment Klaus felt tired. Despite of their differences, he was happy to see his brother, but he had to admit that Elijah had absolutely no reason to trust him. Yet they were family, they had always get past their differences.

"I will reunite you with our family, I give you my word," Klaus said, choosing his words carefully. Despite of all his faults, he was a man of his word, more or less. At the moment he had no intention of daggering Elijah, but he needed a loophole in case the situation would change. Either way, he would keep his promise.

"What do you say, brother, will you join me?"

Elijah was quiet for a while before giving him an answer.

"Yes, I believe I will join you. If Mikael is indeed gone, I want to see his body with my own eyes."

"Wonderful, we'll leave in the morning."

"He is coming with us?" Prim asked.

Klaus had forgotten her completely; she stood by his side attentively observing him and Elijah.

"Who is this girl, Niklaus?" Elijah asked.

Klaus wasn't sure what to say.

"I found her."

"You found her?" Elijah repeated. "She's not some stray dog; you can't simply keep her…"

"No one's keeping me," Prim snapped. "I gave him my loyalty willingly and I'll do anything for him."

Klaus imagined that he looked as stunned as Elijah, what was the little werewolf talking about? They barely knew each other, why would she be loyal to him? Probably because she thought that he was like her and an alpha. He realized that despite of his inheritance, he actually knew very little about werewolves and their habits. That was something he definitely needed to fix as soon as possible. Elijah looked at the girl attentively and judging by his surprised expression, he had smelled what she was.

"I see… Niklaus, perhaps we should continue this conversation over drinks downstairs."

"That sounds good," Klaus replied and turned to look at Prim. "Watch TV, go to sleep or what ever you feel like doing, I'll be back soon."

The girl looked at him tensely.

"I should come with you."

She was actually worried that Elijah would hurt him. He couldn't remember the last time anyone would have been worried about him. Strangely it felt nice; he smiled and touched the girl's shoulder.

"Everything is fine. Isn't that right, Elijah?"

"Yes," his brother replied tensely, apparently unsure of what to make of the little werewolf. Klaus could already imagine the lecture he was going to hear.

"Wait here," Klaus said firmly, making sure that he girl understood that he meant it. She didn't seem pleased, but she nodded.

"Good girl. Try to get some sleep."

She didn't say anything when he and Elijah walked out.

"Niklaus…" Elijah started as soon as they were in the elevator. "She's a child, what are you doing with her?"

"I'm trying to help her," Klaus replied. "She doesn't have any place to go."

Elijah shook his head.

"And surely you would be as eager to help if she wouldn't be a werewolf. I'm surprised you don't keep her in some dungeon like the ones back in England."

Klaus had liked to play it safe so he had always kept a werewolf or two nearby just in case. That had been before Katerina Petrova had ruined everything. For years he had thought that he would never be able to break the curse, but recently some of his witches had given him new hope. There might be a way after all, even though the witches hadn't found it yet.

"Would you honestly be willing to rip that girl's heart out?" Elijah asked coldly.

Would he? If that would be the only thing standing between him and breaking the curse…

"No, of course not," he replied, although he wasn't sure if that was the truth. Either way he was going to keep her close, just in case.

* * *

I walked restlessly around the big fancy room; I didn't like to be left behind like this. There was nothing to do except wait for his return. There was no way I could sleep or do anything else before I would be sure that he was safe. It was my duty as his mate. Maybe he didn't see me like that yet, but surely he would soon. I had sniffed him and told him that I would accept him despite of his obvious shortcomings. How much clearer could I be? He wasn't like the other males I knew, he wasn't a pureblooded.

His brother was a bloodsucker and at first I had thought that he was one too, but that wasn't true, not entirely. His scent was very unique; it was a mixture of many different things. He was a strange creature and he was a coldblooded killer, I had seen it immediately when I had seen his eyes. That had made me feel safe with him, he reminded me of papa. They were all gone now; I had to look after myself. I had howled for days over their bodies before I had burned them.

Now I felt that I wasn't prepared, everything was so strange. There was a big difference between reading about something and actually experiencing it. Someone just bringing the food in front of you, staying in a room like this that was full of unnecessary things… I looked at this TV, wondering how it worked. Television, a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with or without accompanying sound. Maybe I should try to turn it on; I had to admit that I was a little curious.

Cautiously I pushed every button on the thing until something happened. I almost jumped back when there was suddenly a woman on the screen. She was wearing a red swimming suit and she was running on the beach. What was wrong with her breasts, they looked as swollen as her lips. Now there were more women, they were all running. I lost my interest and tried to think of something else to do. Where was he? I waited and waited until he finally returned smelling like blood and alcohol. Just like papa. I moved in front of him and started to snuffle him in order to make sure that he wasn't injured.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Did I honestly have to explain that to him? I reminded myself to be patient with him; it wasn't his fault that he wasn't a real wolf.

"Making sure that you're alright."

He rolled his eyes.

"You could have asked."

Asked? Why, there was nothing wrong with my nose. I wanted to show him that I was happy to see him so I licked his cheek. His eyes widened and he took a step back.

"Prim!"

He seemed upset, I couldn't understand why.

"Alright…that wasn't…appropriate."

I tried to understand what I had done wrong; I had only wanted to show him affection.

"Just…don't do that again," he murmured.

I tried not to be offended; I had to remember that he was different. I had to find out how he showed affection. Humans shook hands or hugged, maybe he would like that.

"Where's your brother?" I asked. As far as I concerned, he was still a threat so I should know where he was.

"He has his own room."

I couldn't understand why, there was more than enough room here, but I was also glad that I wouldn't have to keep an eye on my mate for the whole night.

"You should go to sleep," he said. "We're leaving early tomorrow."

I nodded and waited for him to show me which room he was going to sleep. I wanted to curl up next to him, like I had done with my pack. It made me feel safe.

"Alright, you can take that bedroom," he said pointing at one of the doors. "Good night."

"I'll wait for you," I said.

He had that stunned expression again before he sighed.

"Prim, I have my own bedroom and you have your own. Do you understand?"

"Why can't I sleep next to you?"

"Because that wouldn't be appropriate," he sighed. "How many times do I have to explain these same things to you…"

Appropriate? I didn't completely understand what it meant but he seemed to love that word. But I would just have to learn to accept his strange ways, surely I could do that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Klaus sighed and looked at his watch. How long could it take to find some clothes for a little girl? The saleswoman was pacing back and forth, taking all kinds of clothes to Prim who was in the fitting room. Klaus was sitting on the couch waiting for her; he was bored but unfortunately this had to be done, the girl already draw enough attention without the oversize clothes he had picked up for her. Not to mention the t-shirt and the pants had been dirty, thanks to her eating habits. Klaus looked up when Elijah entered the store with two coffees.

"Thanks," Klaus said when Elijah handed him the other one. His brother nodded briefly and sat down next to him.

"Are you sure that it's a good idea to take her with us?" Elijah asked.

"Why wouldn't it be? She's harmless, just a little…"

Klaus didn't have time to finish his sentence when the saleswoman screamed. Klaus and Elijah were on their feet in a fraction of a second, the woman marched to them looking quite upset.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I must ask you and your mons…daughter to leave," she said.

Klaus frowned.

"What happened?"

He didn't really have to ask, the woman was rubbing the bite marks on her arm.

"She bit me. Please take her out of here before I'll have to call the police."

Klaus sighed and marched to the fitting room.

"Prim!"

The girl opened the door and looked at him defiantly. She was wearing beige jeans, a pink shirt and floral print sneakers. She looked surprisingly…normal, like any young girl.

"You bit that woman?" Klaus asked.

"She touched my special place," the girl replied tensely.

For a moment Klaus was too stunned to speak.

"She touched your…what?"

Once again Prim looked at him like he would have asked something incredibly stupid.

"My neck," she explained.

Klaus wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry.

"I see…You bit her because she touched your neck?"

"Of course, that's not…" she paused and looked thoughtful. "Appropriate," she added, clearly proud of herself for remembering the word.

"Uh huh…And why's that?"

She looked at him disbelievingly and sighed.

"She's not a member of my pack and I haven't accepted her," the girl explained like she would be talking to a small child.

"Right… You don't like people touching your neck; I'll have to keep that on mind."

"That doesn't mean you, you're my pack," she said and tilted her head on the side, exposing her neck. "You can touch if you want."

"That's…good to know, maybe later," he murmured. "Come on, we're leaving."

Elijah was already waiting for them; he was carrying a big plastic bag.

"Is that the rest of her clothes?" Klaus asked.

"Apparently," Elijah replied looking at Prim. He had been quite cautious with her; obviously he had trouble deciding how to handle her. She was a child and Elijah's moral code would have never allowed him to harm a child, but she was also a werewolf, his natural "enemy". Clearly he needed some time to get past this contradiction. Klaus on the other hand had never had any problems being around werewolves, although normally they didn't want to be anywhere near him. Prim was looking at Elijah suspiciously when the three of them headed to the car. She went to the backseat as soon as Klaus had unlocked the doors, she probably didn't want to turn her back to Elijah. Klaus couldn't help but smile, he was really starting to like the little werewolf. Elijah sat on the front seat, but he seemed a little tense. They were all quiet a long while after Klaus had started the car.

"Why do you smell so different than your brother?" Prim finally asked.

Klaus didn't know if she had addressed the question to him or Elijah, but he replied anyway.

"We're different."

He saw through the rearview mirror that she looked very observant.

"What do you think he smells like?" Klaus asked, he couldn't control his curiosity. Elijah certainly didn't look pleased by his question.

"Like a bloodsucker," Prim replied calmly. "They all smell the same."

"What do you mean?" Elijah asked, suddenly he seemed curious as well.

She shrugged.

"Blood, coldness, death. But there's something more about your smell, not your cologne, something else."

Elijah seemed surprised when she leaned towards him and started to snuffle him from the backseat.

"She likes to do that," Klaus explained without bothering to hide his amusement.

Clearly Elijah was uncomfortable, but he didn't move.

"Lemon tea," she murmured thoughtfully. "And apricots."

"I can assure you that I haven't eaten any apricots," Elijah said.

She shook her head.

"No, your shampoo. Your hair smells nice."

Elijah looked stunned before clearing his throat.

"Thank you."

She looked at him thoughtfully before bumping his head softly with her forehead.

"What…"

"I will accept you for now, a bloodsucker or not," she stated calmly. "But if you try to harm my mate, I won't hesitate to harm you."

For a moment Elijah was unable to speak, that was something Klaus hadn't seen before.

"Prim, I'm not your mate," he sighed, but she ignored him, she was looking at Elijah, or the back of his head to be exact.

"Well…" Elijah muttered. "That sounds fair."

She nodded firmly.

"You may sniff me, but not my neck; you're not a pack member."

Klaus bit his bottom lip trying not to laugh; Elijah's expression was simply priceless.

"That's very…kind of you, but maybe some other time," Elijah managed to say.

She shrugged and leaned back on her seat.

"Can we listen to some music?" she asked.

"Sure," Klaus replied and turned the radio on.

Prim seemed a little more relaxed now, but she was still vigilant, keeping an eye on him and Elijah. Klaus had certainly never met anyone like her before, what kind of pack had she grown up? And what had happened to her pack? Those were definitely things he needed to find out, right after this trip to Virginia.

* * *

I looked outside through the window when we arrived to the centre of a town called Mystic Falls. If I wasn't mistaken this Mikael who we were looking for was my mate's father and also his enemy. That was all I needed to know, I doubted that either my mate or his brother would tell me more. They didn't like their father, so I didn't like him either, it was that simple. If someone threatened one member of the pack, he was the enemy of the whole pack; that was how things had always been.

"I called some of my witches," my mate said. "Apparently a very powerful witch called Sheila Bennett lives here; she was probably the one who neutralized Mikael."

"Hmm, I think I better talk to her," his brother stated. "No offence, Niklaus but your people skills aren't very good."

My mate rolled his eyes.

"Fine, talk to her, but if she gives you any problems…"

"I think I manage. Do you have her address?"

I wasn't paying much attention to the rest of their conversation; I wanted to stretch my legs. They didn't say anything when I got out and inspected our surroundings. Everything seemed peaceful, there were few people walking across the street, nothing special. Then I noticed a foolish little human who was toddling straight to the road. There was a car approaching her and I heard someone screaming before I ran to her and yanked her back to the sidewalk. The little human didn't seem to realize that she had almost been hit by a car, she was laughing.

"Elena!" a woman's voice shouted, she came to us running, carrying a little male human in her arms. "Oh God, are you alright?"

The female toddler was still giggling.

"Yes, mommy," she said.

Her mother seemed relieved and kneeled next to her.

"Don't ever run away like that, do you understand?"

She nodded.

"Yes, mommy."

The woman hugged her before standing up.

"Thank you so much," she said to me.

"You should train your cub better," I replied. "A night in the hole should help."

The woman was staring at me with her mouth open, had I said something wrong? Cubs acted foolishly without training, papa had used all kinds of training methods, like the hole. I remembered that I had cried when he put me in there, but I had learned my lesson. The woman scooped the male toddler up and took the female toddlers hand. She waved at me when they walked away.

"Prim!"

I turned when I heard my mate's voice.

"Come on, I need some coffee."

That sounded good, I was hungry.


End file.
